The only time this job is pleasant is when Rick is far away from the store, his fat mouth offending somebody else. And now he’s in the store with Kade again, despite Felix’s attempts to keep them apart.
Kade turns, his eyes narrowing.
“Get to work,” Rick snaps at Felix, nodding at the register. “Don’t stand and stare.”
“He was treating me like a regular customer,” Kade growls. He steps between Felix and Rick, and Felix tenses. Kade had bristled the two times he and Rick argued; Felix can’t tell why. Did I forget something? Why would you care so much what Rick thinks?
“He’s my employee while he wears that uniform,” Rick says. He nods at Felix. “Get to work. I didn’t hire you to whore around.”
“He’s not a fucking whore,” Kade snaps, eyes flashing. His fist clenches.
Rick sneers like he’s about to attack with something dangerous. Felix holds his breath, hoping Kade will leave. But Kade stands stubbornly between Felix and Rick, and Rick says, “If he’s working for me and flirting with you, then he’s my whore, isn’t he?”
Felix looks at the register, his stomach roiling. That’s disgusting.
“Say that again,” Kade snarls, stalking over to Rick.
Rick pulls his own shoulders back, eyes glinting. “You’re a low-ranking alpha. That doesn’t mean shit. ‘Cuz even if you punch me, it’ll be worth nothing compared to, say, the mayor. Now, that guy, I’d respect.”
Kade’s eyes flash. He pulls his arm back, bicep straining at his sleeve, arm quivering with violence. He’ll hurl Rick across the room in an instant. As much as Felix wants to see that happen, he also needs his job. “Kade,” he snaps. “Stop.”
Kade freezes, glancing at Felix over his fist. Felix shakes his head minutely. No.
And Kade sucks in a deep breath, his chest heaving. He made a promise to Felix.
“That’s lower than I thought,” Rick says, smirking. “Controlled by an omega? You’re embarrassing.”
Pain darts through Kade’s eyes, too quick for Rick to notice. But Felix recognizes it like a childhood ghost. Why does that hurt you? Was it because of... me?
“Say one more word about my omega, and I’ll rip you apart,” Kade growls, his face inches from Rick’s, his teeth bared. Then he turns, keeping one eye on Rick while he storms out, leaving the store smelling like cedar and pine.
Rick watches him leave, his lips twisted in distaste. “Bastard’s all bark,” he mutters, glancing at Felix. “But he leaves you behind, doesn’t he? And then what? He thinks he’s so strong, running off like that?”
Felix forces a wide smile, adrenaline pumping through his veins. “He’s killed a few people, actually. It was all over the news some years back. Didn’t you see?”
It’s a lie, but Rick’s eyes bug out of his face. “Whatever,” he says. “He doesn’t belong in this store.”
After Rick stalks off to the backroom, Susan edges around the counter, bursting with questions. “Did Kade really?” She glances at the door. “Kill people, I mean.”
Felix shrugs, keeping an eye on the backroom door. “He came close. Some of them went to the hospital. One guy almost died, but that was from complications.”
That had been when they were younger, and Kade had attacked the school bullies viciously. They’d left him and Felix alone after, and Felix never forgets those days, back when they were still ten, shaking together in the bathroom stall, Kade’s hands bleeding.
Kade’s hurt now, somehow, because of him. And their breakup five years ago still hurts, even today.
“He’s loyal,” Susan says, a note of admiration in her voice.
“He’s mine,” Felix answers without thinking. He freezes. Susan smiles warmly at him, and he looks down at his hands, his stomach flipping. He wants Kade to be his. And Kade had claimed him in front of Rick, despite all that’s happened.
Felix looks down at his belly, smoothing his hand over their unborn child.
36
Kade
Kade pulls into the gas station the next week, sniffing carefully at the air. No bitter-wood scent, but the faintest trace of lavender lingers, and his pulse quickens. After seeing his omega days in a row, he still hasn’t had enough of Felix. Would never have enough of him, really.
In the store, he finds the counter empty. So he winds further inside, his heart kicking when he spots Felix crouched in the candy aisle.
“We’ll probably have to put a limit on the amount of candy you eat,” Felix says, tucking chocolate bars onto the shelves. He scoops more from a cardboard box, looking down. “And I know it won’t feel fair if other children eat all the chocolates they want, but I think it’ll be better for you not to have cavities.”
Kade stills, holding his breath. He hasn’t caught Felix talking to himself since learned about the baby, but to hear Felix talking like that... Kade wants to prowl closer, to protect his omega. Because Felix knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he? Even if hasn’t learned it off the internet, he’s caring for the baby on instinct.
And Kade loves him, damn it.
“But maybe you’ll get candies every so often,” Felix says. “My favorite is the chocolate wafer bites—”
“Hey,” Kade says.
Felix jumps, turning to look at him. He pales, glancing down. Kade hasn’t realized how much Felix feared him discovering the baby.
“It’s fine,” Kade says, his heart twisting. Felix shouldn’t have to be scared of him. “Talk to it if you want.”
Felix relaxes, smiling hesitantly. “You don’t mind?”
Kade shrugs. “Your child. Do what you want.”
His omega looks away, but warmth grows in his eyes. When he smiles, Kade’s breath catches in his throat. Yeah, he really needs to see Felix more often, see him smile.
“You’re early,” Felix says. “Is it already three?”
Kade glances at his phone clock. “Three-thirty, actually. Been busy?”
“Three-thirty? Wow.” Felix sighs, leaning back. “It’s been kind of crazy the whole morning—the gas prices dropped, so we had a flood of people coming in. It sounded like a zoo outside all day!”
“Yeah, they’re still
